Steering apparatus for torpedoes.



No. 882,992. PATENTED MAR. 24.1908. A. J. VAN STOCKUM.

'.STBERING APPARATUS FOR TORPEDOES.

' APPLIoATIoN FILED Nov. 17. 190s.

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A. J. VAN SToCKUM. STEERING APPARATUS POR ToRPEDoEs.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 17. 1906.

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No. 882,982. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

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STEERING APPARATUS P08 13088813088.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1906,

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ABRAHAM JOHANNES VAN STOCKUM, OF AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR vTORPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Application filed November 17, 1906. Serial No. 343,904.

T o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known vthat I, ABRAHAM JOHANNES VAN STOCKUM, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Amsterdam, Netherlands, have invented new and useful lmprovement's in Steering Apparatus for Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for steering torpedoes and submarine boats in a vertical plane.

It must be understood that the main object of my invention is to remedy the defects, existing in connection withA the automatic regulating gears as at resent known. Such defects arise principal y out of the employment of a free swinging pendulum as a part of the mechanism, which is employed to correct, by means of the rudder it operates, any considerable deviations of the torpedo-axis from its horizontal position, allowing only a slight shift from this osition as long as it remains truly perpen icular itself. lt can only remain in this position, however, if the velocity of the torpedo is exactly uniform; any acceleration or retardation in its motion causing the pendulum to drag behind or rush forward, thereby steering the torpedo in a wrong direction. As in certain instances of modern tor edo practice heavy acceleration in the initia course of the torpedo cannot be avoided, it follows that in those cases the torpedo is apt to take a deeper dive than is requisite and only returns to its normal depth after having performed a considerable part of its course.

Now in order to remedy these defects, in my invention the'freely oscillating pendulum is dispensed with and in its place l employ a rod, charged at the lower end with a suitable weight, suspended in an oblique position by means of hinges, in the compartment containing the gear, the said rod being connected directly to the well known disk which is exposed to the waterpressure from behind. As an alternative the weight may be provided with a couple of wheels and mounted therewith on an inclined plane, pressing against a lever, which in this case replaces the suspension rod in the first said device. By this arrangement no helical springs, bearing against the disk to counter balance the waterpressure are needed as in the steering apparatus at present in use, because, owing to the oblique position of the suspension rod near the inclination of the plane, the disk is always charged with part of the weight and the dimensions of the various parts of the mechanism may be made such that this component of the force of gravitation. acting against one side of the disk exactly balances the waterpressure on the reverse side if the torpedo iioats on an even keel at the desired depth. As of course on the other hand the said component varies with the inclination of the torpedo-axis it is obvious that both elements of a good steer? ing quality viz.: sensitiveness to a change in depth as well as to a change in trim are inherent to and incorporated in the one'and 70 sin le moving part ofthe mechanism. It wil be further understood that by this device the purpose aimed at, is realized inasmuch as the disturbing effects arising out of the non-uniformity of speed of the torpedo are checked and kept down to small proportions. In fact the component of gravitation above referred to being modiiied by acceleration or retardation thereby forcing the torpedo out of its true course, the latter can only deviate until the excess or lack of waterpressure on the back of its disk equals the amount by which the force on the said disk was increased or diminished. The destro ed equilibrium is then restored and a levefposition of the torpedo maintained, the latter continuing its course in a horizontal direction. In other words: such a disturbing effect can only alter the path of the torpedo in a parallel direction, it can never be the source of a permanent angular deviation, as in the case with the diving gear hitherto employed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus and Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a front 95 elevation of a modification and Fig. 4 is a vertical section thereof.

The same letters denote the same parts in all the views.

a is the outer cover of the so called secret chamber in the torpedo, or, in the case of a submarine boat, 'it may represent the casing of the compartment reserved for the gear. l) denotes the bulkhead closing-this chamber or compartment and separating it from the water outside. A U shaped piece c of steel n metal or other suitable material (of which all parts of the apparatus, if not stated otherwise, may be constructed) is hinged at its upper end to the bulkhead at d and carries at its lower end the disk e which is attached to it by means of the bolt f and nut g. This disk, which is exposed to the waterpressure from behind, lits into a circular opening in the bulkhead, the intrusion of the water being prevented in the ordinary way, as shown in the drawing, by a dia-j phragm 7L of indiarubber or other flexible material so as to allow the disk a certainl amount of play. The back end of the bolt f is fork shaped, to receive the lever 7' which is pivoted to it at le. This lever is hinged at one extremity to a projection on the bulkhead at Z, while the other end a is linked in a suitable manner (not shown) tothe well Vknown valve of the servo-motor operating the rudder. Between the legs of the U j shaped piece c a rod m is hinged by means of its cross-shaped upper end at n, which rod carries at its lower extremity a weight 0 of spherical or other suitable shape. A thumb p projects from the upper end of the rod through which is screwed an adjusting screw g, the lower end of the latter resting upon a similar thumb r projecting at right angles from the U shaped piece c. lt will be understood that owing to the weight 0 both parts of the gear are thus connected together as' if they formed one piece, but that by turn ing the screw g their relative positions may be changed and thus the backward force exerted by the weight upon the disk e be modified also, which force, as is known, is to counter balance the waterpressure. Conj sequently this device renders it possible to regulate the depth at which the torpedo is to l be kept.

Figs. 3 and 4 represent a front elevation and vertical section of an alternative apparatus having an inclined plane, In this case l a rectangular frame c is hinged at b between a couple of brackets a fixed to the bulkhead Two slots or grooves f, of a suitable curved shape and length are formed in the sides of this frame to serve as guides for two flanged rolls or wheels g of a diameter slightly inferior to the width of the grooves. By means of these rolls a disk shaped weight L/ is suspended within the frame, so as to be free to move to and fro on its rolls with little friction, On the same axle as these rolls, but turning freely in the spaces bet tween the -weight and the frame, two double l flanged rolls or wheels y" are mounted, which j communicate the backward pressure exerted by the weight, to the lower ends of a double lever 7c which is hinged at its upper extremities to the bulkhead at Z. This lever is provided with a double bent strip m and to this strip the disk e is fixed in a manner similar to that in llig. l, the leverage and linkage to the servo-motor being identical in both cases` The regulation of the depth is operated here in the following manner. The adjusting screw q, provided with two collars and a smooth tap between them, is inclosed in the bearing o of an arm or stay p projecting from the bulkhead. A nut r is moved by this screw, the turning of the' nut being prevented by a guide s projecting downward from the stay p and passing through a groove in the nut. By the connecting rod t this nut is linked to frame c', so that by turning the screw g the nut is raised or lowered and thereby the frame turned on its pivot b till its angle of inclination corresponds to the depth the torpedo is desired to travel in.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and 1n what manner the same 1s to be performed, l declare that what I claim 1s the foremost end of the l. ln a submersion gear for torgedoes and submarine boats, a platemova le by the water pressure and adjustable means for controlling the movement of said plate, said means consisting of an inclined member making a moderate angle with said plate and having a part engaging with the plate and a weight engaging with the said member.

2. ln a submersion gear for torpedoes and submarine boats, a plate mova le by the water pressure, a member suspended in an y 1 oblique position and making a moderate angle with the plate and having a portion engaging with the plate, and an adjustable weight engaging with the inclined member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 19th day of 'June 1906.

ABRAHAM JOHANNES VAN STOOKUM.

fitness es AUGUsT SIEGFRIED DOCEN, ANNA STAPELVELD. 

